It is rather strange, therefore, for the cruise line to allow one of their longest serving staff members to slip into retirement without a lot of fanfare.

Only a brief entry on Cunard’s Facebook page mentioned that Commodore Bernard Warner, the man who was in charge of the Queen Elizabeth up to now, was going into retirement. Warner was also the most senior ship captain in Cunard’s employment. Perhaps this is how this master of the seas preferred to go: without the bells and whistles.

Commodore Warner was presented with a ceremonial sword and afterwards driven to his home in Southampton in a company Mercedes. The Facebook entry carries a picture of the Commodore making a short speech at the foot of the gangway. In the background the Mercedes is waiting to take him home.

The command of the Queen Elizabeth will be taken over by another highly experienced seaman: Captain Paul Wright. This will, however, be a short-lived command, since he is also retiring in June. Cunard has not made an announcement about who will permanently take over the reins at the Queen Elizabeth after Captain Wright leaves.

Commodore Warner announced in January this year that he planned to retire after the end of the current Queen Elizabeth world cruise.